Improvement in apparatus for manufacturing gas



' Z Sheets-Sheet 1. J. G. HUNT.

v -APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS. No. 186,207. Patented J'an.l6,1877.

N.PETI:RS, PMOT0-L|THO1=1APHEF,, WASHINGTON, D c

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. G. HUNT.

- APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS. No.186,Z0'7, Patented J'an.16, 1877.

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PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. HUNT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,207, dated January16, 1877 application filed April 22,1876.

10 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. HUNT, of the cityand State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Burning Petroleumand other Hydrocarbon Liquids and Making Gas, of which the following isa specification:

I make use of a peculiarly-constructed generator, in which steam and thevapors of petroleum combine to form a gas that is consumed for heatingand other purposes, and I apply an electric current from a battery toaid .in the proper decomposition and recomposition of the vapors ofpetroleum in the presence of heat and steam.

The object of my inventionis to obtain the most perfect results in theeconomy of the fuel, by insuring a perfect decomposition of petroleum inthe presence of as large a proportion of watery vapor as possible,according to whether the gas produced is to be used for illuminating orheating purposes.

In the drawing, Figure l is an elevation of the generator and burner.Fig. 2 is a section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan at the line.10 a, and Fig. 4 is a similar view at the line 3 y.

The base of the generator is made as an annular trough, D, into whichpetroleum or similar material may be introduced and ignited, to heat theapparatus in starting the same. The central portion 0 of ,the burnersupports the mixing-chamber F, above which is a superheating-chamber, L,with a cap, M. The burners P are at the upper ends of the lateralbranches that extend from the generating and mixing chamber F. Theseburners are perforated for the escape of the combustible vapors, and Ihave shown four of these burners.

The petroleum or other liquid hydrocarbon is supplied, through the tubeE and jet-tube H, within the chamber F, and steam is supplied by thepipe. T, and rises in the pipes K, which, preferably, are tubes in themetal case of the chamber F, as seen in Fig. 4, and these tubes K openat top into the superheating-chamber L. The chamber F is corrugated uponits exterior surface, so as to increase the heating capacity, andlessen'the risk of the chamber splitting or cracking under the operationof the heat.

The steam, in a superheated condition, passes down through theperforations s, which are inclined, as shown, to direct the rush ofvapor away from the petroleum-jet tube H, and hence the petroleum andvapors from that jet-tube will be drawn by the issuing jets of steam,and 'commingle with the steam, and the mixture will be intimate andthorough within the heated chamber F, and the heat of such chamber maybe sufficient to decompose the petroleum; hence the issuing vapors arein a condition to bu rn with an intense heat, there being adecomposition of the steam by a union of the carbon of the petroleumwith the oxygen of the water, and then a combustion of the hydrogen ofthe water with the hydrocarbon vapors of the petroleum in theatmosphere, producing an intense heat and consuming the carbon.

The hydrocarbon liquid is to be supplied from any suitable source, andregulated by a cock.

In starting the apparatus a small vessel may be used for supplying thesteam until the main boiler is heated by the burners.

The combustion is promoted by an electrical current, and an improvedresult is obtained. I therefore employ a battery, l, of any suitablecharacter. One pole of it is in contact with the tank A, and the otherpole is applied at or near the generator, so that the apparatus is putinto'the electric circuit. The tank and burner should be insulated, sothat the current passes through the liquid petroleum, and through thevapors as they combine and are consumed, in order that the decompositionand perfect combustion may be promoted by the electric action. Theelectric current may be obtained from any other source than a battery.

In cases where this apparatus is to be used for heating purposes, allthe gases formed will issue through the burners, and be consumed beneaththe boiler or other article to be heated, as at R.

If the gas-generating capacity of the apparatus is greater than requiredfor heating the mixing-chamber, or for performing other heating work atthe same time, then the surplus gas may be conveyed from themixing-chamber by a pipe to any other location, where it may be used forilluminating or for heating purposes, or it may be stored for futureuse.

I claim as my invention 1. The superheating-chamber L, provided withopenings in the partition that separates it from the mixing-chamber, incombination with the mixing-chamber having a corrugated case, thelateral burners, the petroleum-supply pipe E, and the steam pipe passingthrough the mixing-chamber, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with-the hydrocarbon burner,havingsuper-heating andmiKingc hamQ hers, and lateral burners, the conducting-wires andgenerator of electricity,'whereby an electric circuit is established,substantially as" specified. 1

8Signed. by metliis13th day of April, A. D I 176.

i f G. HUNT.

Witnesses: I l

HAROLD semina GEO. T; Pmomr.

